Technology Android

[Jokerman]

The only thing I do now with last year's Nexus 7 is turn it on every once in a while and let the apps update. This gives me the updated fix I need and off it goes.

 

[dilla]

Prepare your anuses, Google's going in dry.... http://9to5google.com/2013/08/08/report-motorola-to-produce-new-nexus-device-will-be-released-in-q4/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

 

[dilla]

Samsung has 0 plans of leaving Android. It works great for them so far. They want it as their secondary OS as WP didn't take off, and they don't want to be left with nothing when Google takes Android wrong way, they invested too much in Smartphones yet so far had no control over the OS they were running other than picking one and modding it. With Tizen they'll have full control and a Plan B. The worst Android does, the better for Tizen as there's no other significant player, and in that situation for Samsung it'll be win-win either way.



Apparently according to GSMArena it unlocks itself all the time, lol. I like what LG did to bezels though. I don't feel the design, UI which looks like a cheap TouchWiz knock-off and the back buttons. It'd be cool if this was a base for the new Nexus "4" though as top performing hardware is there. 5,2 will be a tad too big for most people though. I know people said this with 4,3 inch phones but now it's just hard to hold a 5,2 inch phone in one hand. Having the S4, it's my first time ever when I'm thinking that it'd be perfect if it was just a little smaller.



I've never been into this, but Qualcomm are acting like a bitch now because they're making all that money and have the most demanded chips. That's what happens when some companies are given some power. They don't want others to catch up and are doing all kinds of unnecessary actions to protect their code, even if it's mostly unrelated to the way their tech is made.

You're right about the LG Nexus part, though. Aside from the link I posted above, if LG had used this G2 as the Nexus, it would have been fine. But if it's Motorola, like the article suggests, then.......

 

[masta247]

Prepare your anuses, Google's going in dry.... http://9to5google.com/2013/08/08/report-motorola-to-produce-new-nexus-device-will-be-released-in-q4/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Noo.. I'd rather have LG make it this year, it's their second Nexus device - it'd be just like it always was. So far Motorola proved that they can't even build a phone around up to date hardware, but they're fine with charging an arm and a leg for mediocre devices.
They know that they're not good enough, so they're not even trying to go global with them.

But as far as giving them a Nexus this year.. I'm not sure they'd do this. Motorola is a Google company so the world would get hella pissed if a company that doesn't even sell their phones outside of the US would suddenly get to make a Nexus device even thout all signs on earth and logic and fairness pointed at LG having their second shot and then the project would rightfully go to Sony, who have been hella neglected in the Android world and are clearly not getting the praise that they deserve.

 

[dilla]

It was only a matter of time before Google started fucking up big time. I understand the Moto Nexus hasn't even been announced yet, forget being unveiled. But like you, I fear that it will be a shit device that will disappoint right along the lines of the Moto X. I too would rather LG have it than Moto. As always, I would rather have it be someone a bit more established, like Samsung. But they probably won't have the 5 ready in time to make it a high end phone qualified for the Nexus spot.

Give it to LG, then. The G2 seems pretty legit, but it seems a bit too outdated for a Q4 high end phone, if it were released as a Nexus. I think it was supposed to be released in September. A Nexus version of it later this year wouldn't be good. Unless they can bump the specs a bit and introduce some neat novelties for the release of KLP.

 

[Pittsey]

We're already claiming google have fucked up and writing their obituaries before we have any actual facts?

I will hold off judgement until we see concrete evidence that they have taken a wrong direction. Which they will at points, you can't get everything right. It's how they recover that makes a difference.

You'll like this though - http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/08/the-day-google-died/#continued

 

[dilla]

We're already claiming google have fucked up and writing their obituaries before we have any actual facts?

I will hold off judgement until we see concrete evidence that they have taken a wrong direction. Which they will at points, you can't get everything right. It's how they recover that makes a difference.

You'll like this though - http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/08/the-day-google-died/#continued

Well, you could have drowned a toddler in Android fanboys' panties when the Moto X was announced and that ended up...well...disappointing. We are using the same OEM for the Nexus 5, possibly, and after reading Masta's post it's hinting at being another flop. Wasn't Moto struggling between a few months after the release of the Droid in 2009 and prior to Google buying them? Their phones have pretty much sucked since then and I don't see that changing. There are many OEMs better than Moto now and their sticking with this?

It could be an amazing phone. That is possible. But knowing now what Moto makes in the Moto X, I'm not banking on it. In this thread, people wanted LG to be the OEM. I wanted Samsung. Masta wanted HTC. They have ALL made better phones in recent times than Moto. If Google does choose Moto, they better knock this one out of the park.

I also read Google with with ASUS for the Nexus 10.

 

[Pittsey]

I just want a good phone, regardless of the manufacturer. I would like to see them share it around. LG or HTC. I don't want Motorola. But I'm holding judgement. In all honesty, unless it's amazing. I'm keeping my N4. It hasn't skipped a beat since I got it.

If it had a removable battery and a micro sd slot, it really would be my perfect phone.

 

[dilla]

Well, like I said, Moto could knock it out of the park. But there is nothing to suggest that they will, and a lot to suggest it wont.

With the other OEMs, there's a lot to suggest potential, at the very least, with the Nexus 5. LG with the G2, Samsung with the S3 and 4. HTC with the One. And LG again with the reception of the N4. Moto has nothing going for it like these guys do. They could surprise us, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Pittsey]

It can't be worse than the Galaxy Nexus.

The N4 was a very good one. A year later and there are arguably only 2 phones with superior hardware.

 

[masta247]

Yeah, I agree the Nexus 4 was a great phone. It had its downsides but I hope LG would fix them for their second generation. I don't want a Nexus from Motorola, they're not ready even by a very long shot. They had a major chance of changing their ways and coming up with something entirely new, a new concept that could kind of change the market. Moto X had so much hype about it, yet turned out disappointing. I mean, the phone isn't bad, but it isn't great and costs like if it were.
I'd say give LG a shot with a Nexus 4.2/5 or whatever they name it. Then give it to Sony as they truly deserve it. That's what most people expect to happen anyway and sounds like a good plan.

If the new Nexus maintains the 299$ price tag, upgrades over 4's hardware and downsides and will be available in more than a few countries, that'll be just awesome. With Nexus 4 they proved it's possible, now a year later doing what's already been done last year should be super easy and is almost guaranteed to make people happy unless some spectacular hardware fail happens.

 

[Pittsey]

Uh oh. How serious is this? http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/0...om-ever-being-published-jbq-strongly-implies/

Storm in a teacup?

​

Nexus 7 factory image and binaries now available from Google
Wanna mod that shiny new Nexus 7? Today's your lucky day. Google just posted the factory image and binaries for its second generation 7-inch tablet -- also known by the product name "razor" and device name "flo". The factory image lets you restore your new Nexus 7 to the exact software it shipped with in case you grow tired of that custom ROM you cooked up using the binaries (natch). Speaking of which, the packages include drivers for audio and sensors from ASUS, NFC from Broadcom plus graphics and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink from Qualcomm. This comes mere hours after some open source drama surrounding the binaries (which now appears to be resolved) and with plenty of time to spare for UK customers.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/09/nexus-7-factory-image-and-binaries-now-available-from-google/

 

[dilla]

Yeah, well now they fixed it, but they still lost a huge head engineer from AOSP to make a statement big enough to get Qualcomm to change their minds.

Not too big, but it had some repercussions.

 

[masta247]

Soo.. It's always been said that Sony phones' weakest point was bad LCD display quality, right?

I really, really wanted them to go future-proof and embrace AMOLED, but they just did the second best thing:
http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z_ultra_display_showcased_against_the_htc_one-news-6549.php

Their newest Xperia Z Ultra has really great LCD. It beats the HTC One hands down, which had one of the best LCD displays. It might not be AMOLED, so it still suffers from LCD-related cons but image quality looks great. If Sony keeps up with it and their next flagships all pack displays at least this good, their phones will officially be really amongst the best. It was really the only thing that held the Xperia Z back from being the best value for money flagship.

 

[dilla]

I could be wrong, but Sony Android phones are not big in the States. I don't know of any carrier that has their phones.

 

[Pittsey]

I could be wrong, but Sony Android phones are not big in the States. I don't know of any carrier that has their phones.

Nobody buys a Sony anything any more. They were huge in the 80s. Their TVs were considered the best of all the mass produced TV manufacturers. Now, I would say Samsung have taken that position.

 

[dilla]

Nobody buys a Sony anything any more. They were huge in the 80s. Their TVs were considered the best of all the mass produced TV manufacturers. Now, I would say Samsung have taken that position.

Even in Europe, Sony isn't big in anything? Even in the early 2000s, Sony had a bad rep with computers, being labeled as overpriced and still being of shit quality.

But you bring up an Apple vs. Windows debate, and people quickly throw out the Sony ultrabook, or some shit, as being better.

I had a friend in college that got the Sony Xperia....something. Back in 2010, or so. He liked it. But it was gifted to him as an unlocked phone, so he didn't get it from a carrier.

 

[Pittsey]

Even in Europe, Sony isn't big in anything? Even in the early 2000s, Sony had a bad rep with computers, being labeled as overpriced and still being of shit quality.

But you bring up an Apple vs. Windows debate, and people quickly throw out the Sony ultrabook, or some shit, as being better.

I had a friend in college that got the Sony Xperia....something. Back in 2010, or so. He liked it. But it was gifted to him as an unlocked phone, so he didn't get it from a carrier.

They must sell some things to some people. But I don't know anyone with a sony product.

 

[masta247]

Really? I have a Sony TV and had a Sony phone I think everyone I know has something from Sony.
Well, they're the second biggest worldwide TV maker, worlds biggest camera maker (head to head with Canon), biggest gaming console maker (worldwide, counting all platforms), one of the biggest notebook makers, in Europe they sell about as many phones as Apple now (can't find, read it in some more recent article), worldwide they're the 4th biggest OEM (overtaking LG by miles), in Japan Sony sells the most of everything and it's a pretty huge market. They're also one of the fastest growing international Android OEMs if it comes to market share in part thanks to great value for money mid-ends and the Xperia Z.
They are leading in some smaller markets too - flash mp3 players with Walkman, digital frames, li-poly batteries etc.

I agree that Samsung took their place, but Sony are still big and they still make quality products, and have great designs. They have lots of die-hard fans too and a lot of respect in tech communities, while Samsung seems to get lots of hate for no reason.

Sony phones in Western Europe:

Worldwide:

 

[dilla]

Yeah, that's so weird, that I don't see many Sony phones, then. My sister has a Sony camera and I had a Sony VAIO desktop in 2003. I had Sony Walkmen back then too. And a Mini Disk player. Worst purchase ever.

The TVs in our house are Sharp. We gotta change them, soon.